Securing trim panels



July 30, 1929. c, PLACE 1,722,944

SECURING TRIII PANELS Filed Jan. 9, 1928 (a) fastener from the rear face of the body pared to its length and a communica Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT. oar-Ice.

BIOH 0. PLACE, OI DETROIT, MIOHIGANQ ASBIGNOB OI ONE-EAL! TO GEOBGI I. GAGNIER, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SECURING TRIM PANELS.

Application filed January 9, 1928. Serial No. 245,486.

Thisinvention relates to an improved method of and arran ement for securing a panel to a perforate supporting structure of any kind.- The invention is especially useful in connection with the attachment of panels to a perforated supporting structure of plate-like form positioned so that only one face of the plate-like supporting structure is readil accessible. The invention is intended to e applied in securing trnn panels to the metallic interior portions of automobile bodies though said invention 1s capable of use in many other relations, and may be applied wherever it is deslred to readily secure a panel or similar member to .a supporting structure.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a method of and arrangement for securing a trim or similar panel to a sup- 10 porting structure by means which does not completely penetrate the panel, but that is applied in interlocked relation to the panel by insertion from the rear face thereof, whereby the forward face thereof may remain imperforate, thus presenting a neat appearing and unbroken aspect to the view of the observer of the applied panel.

A further object of the-invention is to provide a novel manner of attaching a fas- 80 tener to the body or foundation of a panel that permits the application of a fabric or similar covering material thereto before the insertion of the fastener. The application of the finishing material to the panel is thus facilitated, since the finishing material may be completely applied without interference caused by protruding fasteners laced in position in said body or foundation efore the application of the covering material as heretofore practiced in the art.

Moreover, in using this invention the covered panels ma be stacked or piled one on the other, wit out any danger of their being marked or torn by the fasteners projecting from an otherwise smooth inner surface.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a panel the body or foundation of which is provided with a novel form of slot that permits the insertion of a headed which slot is so formed that the shank thereof, as well as the head, are held frommovesupporting plate.

appear as a description thereof proceedswith reference to ing in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a trim panel as seen from the rear face thereof, the eaded fastener being shown in its initial position in applying it to the panel.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the fastener in another position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the fas tener in its operative position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the trim panel with the fastener applied thereto about to be inserted in a perforation in a metallic the accompanying draw- Fig. 5 1s a sectional view showing the panel applied to the supporting plate.

' Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fastener illustrated in the other figures. Like reference characters mdicate like parts throughout the several figures.

The numeral 10 indicates aportion of a suitable foundation or body for a trim panel for the interior of an automobile body or for any other similar purpose. Said foundation or body may be made out of fibre board, card board or any other suitable material. The foundation or body 10 may be covered on one of its faces by suitable trim material 11 of fabric or similar material, combined with or without a suitable waddin as may be desired. Preferabl the edges 0 the trim material are wrap around the edges of the foundation or body as shown at 12 on the drawings.

Before the trim material is applied to the foundation or body 10 said foundation is provided with a suitable number of properly positioned slots 13 of a form suitable for applying a headed fastener to the bod or foundation after the trim material has applied thereto as just described. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings one of these slots is shown at 13. Said slot comprises a head receiving portion 14 of relatively great width comshank receiving portion 15 of narrow widt compared to its length. The shank receivingportion terminates in an enlarged gpening 16 designed to receive the shank o the fastener when it is in its applied pos1t1on as presently to be described.

a A headed fastener that is especlally adapted for use in connection with a trim panel such as just described is shown 1n Fig. 6 9f the drawin and is described in detail 1n my co en ing a plic'ation Serial No.

ed Novem r 25, 1927. Said fastener is preferably constructed from a single iece of wire by bending the mm between its ends to form a head. 17 in the form of a loop. The ends of the wire are bent away 15 from the head to provide diver ing resilient holding elements 18 and 19 and converging guiding elements-20 and 21, the position of these elements when the fastener is not p serving its holding function being shown in 20 Fi 4 of the drawings. As clearly shown inl igs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings the tips of the converging portions 20 and 21 are arranged side by side when the fastener is not in use, the arrangement being such as to facilitate the insertion of said portions in a perforation in a suitable supporting structure.

The fastener shown in Fig. 6 may be applied to the trim panel illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, after the trim material has been a plied to the body or foundation thereof. 'I his may be effected by tilting the head of the fastener so that it may be entered in the rtion 14 of the slot 13. At the time the end of the fastener is entered in said ortion the diverging and converging portions constituting the shank of the fastener are positioned so that said portions may enter the relatively narrow portion 15 of slot 13. The fastener is then moved from the position shown in Fig. 1t0 the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position the fastener is free to be reversely moved out of the portion 15. In order to hold the fastener in this portion of the slot 13 it is turned through an angle of 90, the part 16 of the ortion 15 permitting this movement. The

astener is then in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, in which sition it is not freeto move in any directlon, but is interlocked with respect to the trim panel.

In the use of this invention the foundation or body 10 is first provided with the desired number of properly located slots 13 as above described. The trimming material is then applied to one face of the foundation or body completing the formation of the trim panel. Such panels may be conveniently constructed since no fasteners are applied to the body or foundation when the cover material is applied thereto. The trim panels thus constructed also may be stacked without injury because of the absence of fasteners that would otherwise mar or tear the finished material if it was sought to stack the panels constructed after the manner heretofore used in the art.

When it is desired to secure a trim anel to a foundation structure of any kin fasteners are inserted in as many slots 13 as may be provided in tha panel after the manner above described.- e supporting structure, a portion of which is shown in Fi 4 and 5 of the drawings and indicated the numeral 22 is provided with suitable perforations such as the perforation 23 positioned so' that the parts 16 of slot 13 will approximately register with said perforations when the anel is applied thereto. In view of the resi 'ent nature of the diver ing portions 18 and 19 of the panel it be understood that an exact registry of the art 16 in the slot 13 with the aperture 23 is not required but that an a proximate registry will suflice. In automo ile bodies one face of the rforated supporting structure is frequent y inaccessible. However, in the arrangement abovedescribed the action of the fastener is entirely automatic and access need not be had to the rear face of said supporting structure.

The trim panel with the fasteners applied thereto is then simply brou ht to the position shown in Fig. 4 of t e drawings in which the converging portions 21 enter the aperture 23. The trim panel is then pressed toward the supporting structure 22, the guide ortions 21 and 20 serving to temporari y move the diverging portions 18 and 19 towards each other to permit the shank of the fastener to enter the aperture 23. As the movement of the trim panel toward the structure 22 is continlllied the diverging arms spring apart to t e sition shown in Fig. 5, thus serving to iii-m l hold the trim panel in engagement with said structure. The application of the trim panel to the supporting structure is thus greatly facilitated and it is possible to remove the trim panel and recover and replace it expeditiously.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meamng and range of equivalenc of the claims are intended to be embra therein.

What I claim asmy invention is:

1. The method of constructing a trim panel and applying fasteners thereto for apphcation to a supporting structure which consists in providing the foundation of the panel with an opening formed to permit the insertion of a headed fastener therethrough from the rear face thereof and to interlock said fastener therewith, applying the trim material to the front face of said foundation, and then inserting the headed end of a fastener through said opening to interlock it with respect to said foundation.

2. A foundat on for a trim panel comprising a body of relatively stiff material provided with an opening one portion of which is formed to permit the insertion of the head of a bodily removable fastener through said body from the rear face thereof and another rtion communicating with said first name portion and formed to receive the shank of the fastener with the head out of registry withsaid first portion to hold the fastener in interlocked relation -to said panel whereb the fastener may be applied to said panel from the rear face after the trim material has been applied to the front face thereof.

3. A foundation for a trim panel com prising a body of relatively stiff material provided with an opening, one portion of which is formed to readily permit the insertion of the head of a fastener therethrough from the rear face after the trim material has been applied to the front. face thereof, and another portion of which has a part communicating with said first named portion and formed to receive the shank of the fastener in one position and a second part of greater width to receive said shank after it has been turned through a substantial angle about the longitudinal axis of the fastener to retain said fastener in said last named part.

4. In combination, a trim panel consisting of a foundation or body having an opening adapted to pass the head of a headed fastener applied from the rear face thereof, and shaped to interlock said fastener and said foundation or body, and an imperforate covering applied to the front face thereof, a fastener interlocked with said foundation or body through said opening and a supporting structure having a perforation recelving a portion of said fastener to hold said trim panel in said structure.

5. In combination, a trim panel consisting of a foundation or body having an opening adapted to pass the head of a headed fastener applied from the rear face thereof and shaped'to interlock said fastener and said foundation or body, and an imperforate covering applied to the front face thereof, a fastener interlocked with said foundation or body, through said opening and having resilient diverging holding portions, and a supporting structure having a perforationreceiving said resilient diverging portion to hold-said trim panel to said structure.

' BION 0. PLACE. 

